WPIAL Announces Playoff Matchups

The anticipation is growing for the boys and girls basketball teams at Chartiers Valley High School, and the time for preparation has undoubtedly begun after the WPIAL playoff brackets were released Tuesday night.

The Colts received the No. 6 seed in Class AAAA and will face the high-powered offense of Norwin at 3 p.m. Saturday at Baldwin High School. Coach Tim McConnell said after Monday night’s win at South Fayette that he was expecting anywhere between a No. 7 and No. 9 seed.

Spencer Stefko’s Lady Colts received the No. 4 seed in Class AAA and will face the winner of the Mt. Pleasant/Belle Vernon preliminary round matchup on Feb. 23. Chartiers Valley received a higher seed than Section 5 co-champion Montour, which received the No. 6 seed, and could be staring at a tough first round game against Ambridge.

While both teams are grateful to be one of the 16 teams that will play a first round WPIAL playoff game, Chartiers Valley is a school known for its basketball excellence. The Lady Colts reached both the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals, and did all of that without leading scorer Lexy Herron.

This year, the Chartiers Valley boys will be trying to defend their WPIAL championship without  TJ McConnell. But the team still has plenty of talent, especially with athletic guard Wayne Capers’ possible return.

The Colts should be able to get by Norwin, which would set up the best game of the second round, pinning the Colts against the No. 3 Tigers from North Allegheny, as long as the Tigers get by an athletic Woodland Hills squad. Should Chartiers Valley and North Allegheny meet, it could be a favorable matchup for the Colts.